Lyon is the capital of the French administrative region of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes. Lyon is the second administrative city in France, the third largest city in France. It is the economic center of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, and the capital of the Rhône department. Thanks to its remarkable historical heritage renovated and preserved over time, Lyon is today one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. Some of its districts have been classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1998 and each year attract nearly 5,500,000 tourists (ONT figures).
Located in the Rhône department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, in the center-east of France. A city of half a million, Lyon alone is the country’s third-largest city, but its metropolitan area is only second in population to Paris. The direct influence of the city extends well over its administrative borders. Lyon and its metropolitan area are rapidly growing and getting younger, because of their economic attractiveness. Lyon is mostly known as the gastronomic epicentre of France, with one of the highest concentrations of restaurants per capita in the country.
Lyon was a former Roman provincial capital and thus has extensive Roman ruins. Architecture in old Lyon ranges from 12th century to modern, and is primarily influenced by its position in the Renaissance as a centre of silk production. Founded by the Romans, with many preserved historical areas, Lyon is the archetype of the heritage city, as recognised by UNESCO.
Lyon is a vibrant metropolis which starts to make the most out of its unique architectural, cultural and gastronomic heritage, its dynamic demographics and economy and its strategic location between Northern and Southern Europe. It is more and more open to the world, with an increasing number of students and international events.
Lyon is situated at the geographical crossroads of the country, north of the natural corridor of the Rhône valley (which stretches from Lyon to Marseille). Lyon became a very commercial city and a first-rate financial center during the Renaissance. Its economic prosperity was driven successively by the silk industry, then by the appearance of industries, in particular textiles, chemicals, and more recently, by the image industry. Lyon, historically an industrial city, has hosted numerous petrochemical industries to the south of the city along the Rhône, called the chemical corridor. After the departure and closure of the textile industries, Lyon gradually refocused on advanced technical sectors of activity, such as pharmaceuticals and biotechnologies.
Lyon is also the second largest student city in France, with four universities and several grandes écoles. Finally, the city has preserved an important architectural heritage from Roman times to the xx th century through the Renaissance and, as such, the neighborhoods of Vieux Lyon, The hill of Fourvière, the peninsula and the slopes of the Croix-Rousse are on the list of World Heritage of UNESCO. Its importance in the cultural, banking, financial, commercial, technological, pharmaceutical fields, as well as the arts and entertainment make the city of Lyon a world city of “Beta-” rank according to the GaWC ranking in 2018, comparable to Birmingham, Seattle or Valencia.
History
All periods of Lyon’s 2,000-year history have left visible traces in the city’s architectural and cultural heritage, from Roman ruins to Renaissance palaces to contemporary skyscrapers. It never went through a major disaster (earthquake, fire, extensive bombing) or a complete redesign by urban planners. Very few cities in the world boast such diversity in their urban structure and architecture.
Early traces of settlement date back to 12,000 BC but there is no evidence of continuous occupation prior to the Roman era. Lugdunum, the Roman name of the city, was officially founded in 43 BC by Lucius Munatius Plancus, then Governor of Gaul. The first Roman settlements were on Fourvière hill, and the first inhabitants were probably veterans of Caesar’s war campaigns. The development of the city was boosted by its strategic location and it was promoted Capital of Gauls in 27 BC by General Agrippa, emperor Augustus’s son-in-law and minister. Large carriageways were then built, providing easy access from all parts of Gaul.
Lugdunum became one of the most prominent administrative, economic and financial centres in Gaul, along with Narbonne. Emperor Claudius, who reigned from 41 to 54 AD, was born here, on 10 BC, when his father Drusus was Governor of Gaul. The main period of peace and prosperity of the Roman city was between 69 and 192 AD. The population at that time is estimated between 50,000 and 80,000. Lugdunum consisted of four populated areas: the top of Fourvière hill, the slopes of Croix-Rousse around the Amphithéâtre des Trois Gaules, the Canabae (around where Place Bellecour is today) and the right bank of the Saône river, mainly in what is today St Georges neighbourhood.
Lugdunum was the place where the first Christian communities of Gaul appeared. It was also where the first martyrdoms took place, most notably in 177 AD when the young slave Blandine was killed in the Amphithéâtre des Trois Gaules, along with 47 other martyrs.
The city lost its status of Capital of Gauls in 297 AD. Then, in the early years of the 4th century, the aqueducts which brought water to the top of Fourvière suddenly stopped functioning. This was due to a lack of funds for their maintenance and security; the lead pipes which carried the water were stolen and could not be replaced. The city was completely deprived of water overnight. This triggered the end of the Roman Lugdunum, which lost a large part of its population and was reorganised around the Saône.
In the Middle Ages, the city developed on both banks of the Saône. The name “Lion” or “Lyon” appeared in the 13th century. The early Middle Ages were very troubled politically. Since the political geography of France kept changing, the city belonged successively to multiple provinces. It then belonged to the Holy Roman Empire from 1018 to 1312, when it was given to France at the Vienna Council. At that time, the city was still of limited size but had a large religious influence; in 1078, Pope Gregory VII made the Archbishop of Lyon the highest Catholic dignitary in the former Gaul (Primat des Gaules).
In the Renaissance, fiscal advantages and the organisation of numerous trade fairs attracted bankers from Florence and merchants from all over Europe; the city became more and more prosperous and experienced a second golden age. The main industries were silk weaving, introduced in 1536, and printing. Lyon became one of Europe’s largest cities and its first financial place, helped by the advantages given by King François I who even considered, at one time, making Lyon the capital of France. Around 1530, the population of Lyon reached 50,000.
In the following centuries, Lyon was hurt by the religious wars but remained a major industrial and intellectual centre, while the financial activity moved to Geneva and Switzerland. In the 18th century, half of the inhabitants were silk workers (canuts).
The eastern bank of the Rhône was not urbanised before the 18th century, when the swamps (called Brotteaux) were dried out to allow construction. Those massive works were led by engineer Morand. In the meantime, works conducted by Perrache doubled the area of the Presqu’île. The extension works were halted by the French revolution but started again in the early 19th century.
During the Revolution, in 1793, Lyon took sides against the central power of the Convention (Parliament), which caused a severe repression from the army. Over 2,000 people were executed.
In the early 19th century, the silk industry was still developing, notably thanks to Jacquard’s loom which made the weaving work more efficient. Social crises, however, occurred: in 1831, the first revolt of the canuts was harshly repressed. The workers were protesting against the introduction of new technology, which was likely to cause unemployment. Other riots took place in 1834, 1848 and 1849, especially in the Croix-Rousse neighbourhood. From 1848, the Presqu’île area was redesigned in a way similar to Haussmann’s works in Paris. In 1852, the neighbouring towns of Vaise, Croix-Rousse and Guillotière were made districts of Lyon. The traditional silk industry disappeared at the end of the century because of diseases affecting the French silk worms and the opening of the Suez Canal which reduced the price of imported silk from Asia. Various other industries developed at that time; the most famous entrepreneurs of the late 19th century were the Lumière brothers, who invented cinema in Lyon in 1895.
Edouard Herriot was elected mayor in 1905 and governed the city until his death in 1957. He initiated a number of important urban projects, most notably in partnership with his favourite architect Tony Garnier: Grange Blanche hospital (today named after Herriot), Gerland slaughterhouses (now Halle Tony Garnier) and stadium, the États-Unis neighbourhood, etc.
During World War II, Lyon was close to the border between the “free zone” and the occupied zone and was therefore a key strategic place for the Germans and the French Resistance alike. Jean Moulin, head of the Resistance, was arrested in Caluire (North suburb of Lyon). On 26 May 1944, Lyon was bombed by the Allied aviation. The Liberation of Lyon occurred on 3 September.
In the 1960s, the construction of the business district of Part-Dieu began; its symbol is the “pencil” tower, the tallest building in Lyon. Meanwhile, the association “Renaissance du Vieux Lyon” (Rebirth of the Old Lyon) managed to have this Renaissance area classified by the government as the first preserved landmark in France, while it was threatened by a highway project defended by mayor Louis Pradel. Pradel was a convinced “modernist” and supporter of the automobile. He also backed the construction of the Fourvière tunnel, opened in 1971 and of the A6/A7 freeway through Presqu’île, near Perrache station, a decision later described as “the screw-up of the century” by mayor Michel Noir, in the 1990s. In 1974, the first line of the metro was opened. In 1981, Lyon was linked to Paris by the first TGV (high speed train) line. In the 1980s and 1990s, a huge number of buildings in Vieux Lyon and Croix-Rousse were renovated. The landscape of Lyon is still evolving, notably with the new Rhône banks promenade or the construction of new skyscrapers in Part-Dieu.
In the future, the banks of the Saône should also be given a second youth. The completion of the Lyon beltway on the western side should relieve the central areas from some of the traffic. A high-performance train network serving exurban areas (like the RER around Paris) is also planned.
Local Culture and Heritage
Lyon has a remarkable historical, architectural, cultural and gastronomic heritage, as evidenced by the many official or unofficial titles awarded to the city:
capital of the Gauls (this title was retained by the city after the founding of France);
world capital of gastronomy (thanks to its local specialties and to its world-famous chefs);
capital of the Resistance (because of its important role in occupied France: underground newspapers, resistance networks, arrest of Jean Moulin in the suburbs of Lyon in 1943, trial of Klaus Barbie).;
capital of printing under the Renaissance (see the article on the history of printing in Lyon);
capital of silk;
capital of roses;
capital of cinema (invention of the cinematograph by the brothers Auguste and Louis Lumière).
Places and monuments
The town has 241 monuments protected as historical monuments and 289 places and monuments listed in the general inventory of cultural heritage. In addition, it has 868 objects listed in the inventory of historical monuments and 247 objects listed in the general inventory of cultural heritage.
Historical site
427 hectares of the historic site of Lyon are classified as World Heritage by UNESCO after December 5, 1998: it is one of the largest French areas registered with Bordeaux and the Loire Valley (208,934 ha). The city is a member of the Organization of World Heritage Cities. In the listed areas, we will note the Fourvière hill and its ancient sites, medieval and Renaissance Vieux Lyon, the classical and Haussmannian peninsula; the hill of Croix-Rousse, Urban heritage of the XIX century associated with Canuts. The left bank, unregistered heritage testifies still as architectural changes (6 district, the Part-Dieu district Montchat) as well as industrial and technology of the city (Brotteaux, Part-Dieu, Gerland). The city in itself therefore presents a real urban continuity, a book of open-air architecture that most cities in Europe do not have, because they were rebuilt in the same place.
Antique period
Officially born in 43 BC, in Fourvière (from the Latin Forum vetus, old forum), the Roman colony of Lugdunum has become a superb city and capital of the Gauls. Ancient sites dot the city and its basements. The city loves its sites and preserves them by bringing them to life: every summer, the ancient theaters of Fourvière host the Nuits de Fourvière festival. To get to know Lugdunum and the daily life of its inhabitants better, do not miss a visit to the Gallo-Roman Museum of Fourvière, right next to the archaeological site.
Renaissance period
In the Middle Ages and during the Renaissance, Lyon, a prosperous city, extended on the banks of the Saône, and as far as the Presqu’île, in the streets bordering the rue Mercière… Today, Vieux-Lyon, where Gothic and Renaissance styles reign supreme, charms with the beauty of its cobbled streets, courtyards, staircase towers, Italian-style galleries and its famous traboules. A lively district during the day and at night, Vieux-Lyon is full of restaurants and gourmet shops, craftsmen, booksellers, shops and street artists. Don’t missed the Gadagne museums and the Miniature and Cinema Museum.
Remarkable sites and monuments
The city of Lyon was built over 2000 years, and is still being built with respect for successive eras: this is one of the reasons for its classification as a Unesco World Heritage Site. Civil or religious sites and monuments, the oldest of which date back to Antiquity, dot the districts of Lyon. Great architects have worked to beautify the city over the centuries: Philibert de l’Orme, Soufflot, Jules Hardoin-Mansart, Tony Garnier, Pierre Bossan, Jean Nouvel, Santiago Calatrava, Mario Botta, Daniel Buren, Renzo Piano… helped by talented anonymous people, like those stonemasons who carved the walls of the cathedral with their initials.
The Traboules and cours de Lyon
Traboules, from Latin trans ambulare (pass through), are shortcuts that connect one street to another through one or more buildings. It’s a very pretty word invented by the Lyon historian Félix Benoît in the 60s, to designate the interior courtyards, which only lead to themselves, but are often of great beauty. Spiral staircases, turrets, Italian-style galleries, wells, statuettes and sculptures, small gardens.
There are around 200 in Vieux-Lyon, 160 on the slopes of Croix-Rousse, 130 on the Presqu’île, or 500 traboules in more than 230 streets in Lyon. But only around 80 of them are open to the public… If you have the chance to visit some traboules, it is thanks to her! Indeed, many owners have carried out expensive renovations of the old buildings they inhabit. Thus, many traboules and courtyards have been closed to preserve the cleanliness and tranquility of the inhabitants.
To prevent this historical heritage from being permanently inaccessible to all, the City of Lyon has signed an agreement with the owners of buildings housing traboules and courtyards, to allow the traboules to open to the public during the day so that this exceptional heritage can be shown and that the Lyonnais continue to use these shortcuts to get around, as they always have.
Contemporary period
From Tony Garnier to Santiago Calatrava, from Buren to Renzo Piano, from Mario Botta to Christian de Portzamparc, from Richard Zehrfuss to Coop Himmelblau… They shape the city of today and tomorrow, and each leaves their prestigious and unique mark.
Landmarks
Ancient theaters and numerous vestiges of the Gallo-Roman era in Vieux-Lyon from the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, from the Peninsula and its classic buildings to the Croix-Rousse of the canuts and the silk industry… The city s’ is extended over time on the banks of the Saône, then beyond the Rhône, up to today’s Confluence, while preserving its heritage. Each era has left its traces and architectural, pictorial, literary, silky, gourmet and festive works at the origin of a real cultural dynamism. It is for this continuity and this architectural harmony that Unesco has listed the historic urban site of Lyon as a World Heritage Site, i.e. 500 hectares which cover Fourvière, Vieux-Lyon, the Presqu’île and the slopes of Croix-Rousse..
Place des Terreaux
The Terreaux square is a square located in the 1 st district of Lyon, on the peninsula between the Rhône and the Saône, at the foot of the hill of the Croix-Rousse.
The Transbordeur
An emblematic Lyon hall (let’s be precise: villeurbannaise), the Transbo as we say in our region, has been hosting concerts, shows, galas or cultural events since 1989. The place is atypical: a former water treatment plant, which creates the perfect setting to discover an eclectic quality program. With its Club Transbo module, the versatility of the place is also one of its strengths with its two rooms which can adapt just as well to intimate concerts as to private cocktails, including a flea market or an outdoor cinema on the huge parking lot in summer.
House of Dance of Lyon
With its 1100-seat hall, the Maison de la Danse de Lyon has been pursuing its missions since 1980: to open up to dance in all its forms and techniques, to invite major choreographers of the 20th century, young contemporary creators. Since 1980, the Maison de la Danse, SCOP SA, has pursued the same artistic policy. Its missions: to open up to dance in all its forms and techniques, to invite the major choreographers of the 20th century, young contemporary creators, to bring together creation and repertoire, to develop the interest of children and adolescents, the public of tomorrow, by organizing morning sessions for young audiences.
Lyon opera
The Grand Théâtre was built in 1756 by Jacques-Germain Soufflot (1713-1780 who also made the Panthéon, the Church of Ste Geneviève, etc. in Paris) and rebuilt from 1827 to 1831 by the architects Chenavard and Pollet, it was then called the Opera. The works of the current Opera, the National Opera, lasted from November 1989 to May 14, 1993. It was rebuilt within the walls of the 1st Opera House, of which the architect Jean Nouvel only kept the facades and the public foyer. The addition of a dome and the digging of a basement allowed it to triple the surface by digging 5 levels in the basement and by raising 6 levels under the glass dome. The shell, a metal frame, is 77,100 m3. Besides glass, the materials used are granite and wood. The highlighting is by Yann Kersale. Its capacity is 1,200 seats and the amphitheater has 200 seats. The 8 muses were installed on the facade in 1862. Daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyme.
Lyon Auditorium
Music is invited to the Auditorium in all its forms, offered to everyone, in complete freedom. Placed at the heart of the activity of this “house of music”, the Orchester National de Lyon and its 103 musicians promote the music of Lyon. The auditorium was built from April 1972 to February 1975 by Henri Pottier, Grand Prix de Rome, chief architect of Civil Buildings and National Palaces, assisted by Charles Delfante and renovated in 1993.
Civil and remarkable places Buildings
With its 2000 years of history, Lyon has preserved traces of its different phases of development, its districts have each kept a rich and diverse heritage with many museums.
Throughout the city, one will also notice the famous Lyonnais painted walls (these monumental trompe-l’oeil are a local specialty); see among others the fresco of the Lyonnais representing some of the famous Lyonnais, on the banks of the Saône, the Mur des Canuts, the Lumière fresco and the frescoes dedicated to Tony Garnier, especially in the United States district.
Finally at nightfall, all of Lyon’s monuments are highlighted by lighting effects. The city is one of the pioneers and specialists in this field (Lumière plan).
Shore right of the Saone Fourvière and Vieux Lyon
The Roman colony is established on the hill of Fourvière, the vestiges of the old Lugdunum are remarkable: the theater and the Gallo-Roman Odeon form a remarkable archaeological site and where concerts and shows regularly take place in summer. We can also admire the remains of aqueducts (the Gier aqueduct), the sanctuary of Cybele, the large thermal baths, the tomb of Turpio. On either side of this archaeological site, we can distinguish the metal tower of Fourvière, aerial tower and the highest point of Lyon. South in the Saint-Just district, The high school of the same name in a former seminary of the XVIII century.
Downhill or by funicular “string” or walk by the many slopes with high slope (rising Gourguillon, Montée Saint-Barthelemy, rising Carmelites…) or by the Rosary gardens (both ways offer of ‘excellent views over the city) we reach the Renaissance quarter of Vieux Lyon, made up of Renaissance buildings and mansions (Rose Tower, Lawyers’ House, Chamarier House, Thomassin House, Claude-Debourg House, Hotel du government, hotel Paterin, hotel de Gadagne, hotel de Bullioud…) And medieval alleys (the main arteries of which are rue Saint-Jean and rue du bœuf).
These alleys are brought to life by the presence of numerous artisan shops and famous corks, a friendly place par excellence to get a taste of Lyon’s gastronomy. This maze of streets is linked together by the famous traboules, passages open inside the islets (there are nearly 320 of them throughout the historic site). On the banks of the Saône is the neoclassical courthouse, nicknamed the “24 columns”. Finally the St. John palace built on the former choir school (facade of the XI century on the place Saint-Jean) houses the cathedral treasury.
Between Rhône and Saône
Crossing the Saône by bridges or footbridges one reaches the Presqu’île, the true center of Lyon in classical style. However, the facades of the Saône quays and the Renaissance-style rue Mercière echo those of Vieux Lyon.
The two large squares of the Presqu’île, the Place Bellecour and the Place des Terreaux are linked by the Rue de la République, a wide pedestrian artery with a concentration of shops and bars-restaurants.
The most important classical monuments of the city are there: the Hôtel-Dieu, the first hospital in Lyon, unveils its facade designed by Jacques-Germain Soufflot over nearly 400 meters on the banks of the Rhône; the Célestins theater rebuilt several times following numerous fires, with the hall and the Italian-style facade; at the Cordeliers, the Second Empire style stock exchange palace; in Les Terreaux, side by side the town hall and the National Opera, recognizable by its characteristic dome renovated by Jean Nouvel in the 1990s.
Many squares adorn the district: Place Bellecour, the fourth largest square in France and the first largest pedestrian square in Europe, has an equestrian statue of Louis XIV in its middle. In the immediate vicinity, Place Antonin-Poncet occupies the space of the former Charité hospital, of which only the bell tower remains today. Opposite the town hall, Place des Terreaux, renovated by Daniel Buren, notably houses the Bartholdi fountain. The Place des Jacobinsin a former convent of the same name contains in its center a fountain of XIX century. Opposite the theater, Place des Célestins with its wooden terrace, benches and magnolias. The Republic Square, located on the street of the same name, can offer a perspective on the facades of the Rue de la République and Rue Carnot. Finally, the National Opera is surrounded by the Place de la Comédie and the Place Louis-Pradel, places often reserved for hip-hop dancers and skateboarders. As with Old Lyon, the district is home to many mansions: Hôtel de Villeroy, Lacroix-Laval, Couronne, Poulaillerie, etc.
To the north of the Peninsula is the village-district of Croix-Rousse characterized by its slopes (including the famous climb to the Grande-Côte which offers a wide panorama at the top), its canuts buildings, its traboules (the courtyard des Voraces, the passage Thiaffait), its gros-caillou and its popular market. It was a district occupied since the Gallo-Roman era, as evidenced by the remains of the amphitheater of the Three Gauls (in the center of this ancient amphitheater a post evokes the tortures of the martyrs of Lyon). The district constituting the northern limit of the city was therefore surrounded by defensive buildings, among them only the forts Saint-Jean and the Saint-Laurent bastion have survived.
South to the end of the XX century, the area known as “behind the vaults”, discredited, or qualified deposit to the city center while yet exist two neighborhoods (Perrache and Sainte-Blandine) hid a very large downtown development area, now called La Confluence.
Project of European dimensions, large environmental project XXI century high environmental quality (HQE) and positive energy building and future expansion of downtown Lyon, doubling the size of the Peninsula and the city center historic Lyon, the Confluence is a project launched by Raymond Barre, contracting a thirty-year loan for the period 2000/2030, the Grand Emprunt 2000, in the amount of 500 million francs (75 million euros), starting with a first tranche of 100 million francs (15 M €), which the Lyonnais voted for.
Launched as a global project providing for “the maintenance of the Perrache and Sainte-Blandine districts, the departures from prisons and the ” Marché-Gare ” (market of national interest), both in Corbas, the arrival of the Municipal Archives and the creation of the Place des Archives in front of the old prisons, redeveloped for the Catholic University of Lyon (UCLY), delivered for the start of the 2016 academic year, the renovation of the two “historic districts” Perrache and Sainte-Blandine then continuing by creating a large nautical basin, and by a large tower ” – Raymond Barre wishing to welcome the International Labor Office -, it was partly taken over by Gérard Collomb, who divided it into two phases:
the first phase (2000-2015), started in 2003, notably includes a leisure and shopping center (opened in April 2012) along a new nautical basin equipped with a harbor master’s office, the installation of the headquarters of the regional council Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and the headquarters of several companies (regional headquarters of the Eiffage group, headquarters of the Lyon newspaper Le Progrès, local television Télé Lyon Métropole, the European channel Euronews, the GL Events group), for an amount € 1.300 billion, 60% supported by private investors and therefore 40% public (information from Grand Lyon, Maison de La Confluence);
the second phase (2015-2030), estimated at 2 billion euros, begins in 2017 with the development of Square Ynfluence, a group of buildings (including a 16-storey tower) with positive energy, located to the north-west of the project, and opening onto the door of this future district, preserved from the old market-station.
The desire of Mr. Grether, chief architect of this project, is to replace the market-station by a first district called “The Market”, in a set of blocks of buildings, shops and offices, while safeguarding some old warehouses to transform them into cultural, sporting or other places.
A second district called “the Champ” should extend the district of the Market, separated from this residential district by a transverse street and two bridges over the Rhône (for soft modes) and the Saône, going from Gerland to the town of Sainte-Foy- les-Lyon.
A third bridge, called the Pont des Girondins, must come right to the heart of the “Market district”, also coming from Gerland, from the rue des Girondins.
This transverse would therefore cut the Cours Charlemagne, a cut that would punctuate (still according to Mr. Grether’s proposal) two large towers, around 2025/2030 (Information Grand Lyon).
The “Champ”, on the right bank of the Rhône, is intended to create a link with Gerland and its park, on the left bank of the Rhône.
Finally, the project ends, in the south, at the point of the confluence of the Rhône and the Saône by the Musée des Confluences, opened on December 19, 2014, a new museum of sciences, civilizations and societies (the collection of the museum of natural history of Lyon has been transferred from the Guimet museum in the 6 district), and research center.
On 1 January 2015 the museum was transferred from the Rhône department in the Metropolis of Lyon.
Left bank of the Rhône
On the other side of the Rhône, we find the new renovated banks, places of relaxation and strolling. In the classic and Haussmannian district of Brotteaux is the Brotteaux station, the beautiful Place du Maréchal-Lyautey and its fountain. To the north, the Tête d’Or park, the largest park in the city and the first urban park in France, is a real green lung in the heart of the city with its lake, its rose garden, its hundred-year-old trees, its zoological park, its trains, its puppet shows… The park borders the Cité internationale (1983-2007), a tertiary, cultural and tourist center bringing together offices, conference rooms, hotels, casino, the Museum of Contemporary Art, cinemas and an auditorium. This set is the work ofRenzo Piano, Genoese town-planning architect, and Michel Corrajoud, landscape designer.
Further south is the district of the former suburb of La Guillotière with its Palace of the Prefecture, the Faculties of Quai Claude-Bernard (Lumière-Lyon 2 and Jean-Moulin-Lyon 3 universities). Nicknamed the “little Lyon Chinatown ”, the district by its cosmopolitan tradition presents a great social and racial mix thanks to the presence of numerous Asian, North African and West Indian shops and restaurants. In the extreme south, the Gerland district, where one can observe the architectural works of Tony Garnier: the municipal stadium of Gerland, whose main tenant is the Olympique Lyonnais, the elite football team of Lyon; theHalle Tony-Garnier, former slaughterhouses in the La Mouche district, now transformed into a vast hall for concerts and exhibitions. In a more contemporary architecture, the École normale supérieure (ENS) letters and human sciences, by Henri Gaudin.
Finally to the east, the XX century urban extension is started through the many available land. The Part-Dieu district is the second business district in France dominated by the Part-Dieu tower, still sometimes called the Crédit Lyonnais tower (its name until 2008), or nicknamed “the pencil” by the Lyonnais, and the Incity Tower. In the district of Monplaisir one will notice the Manufacture of tobacco, building with polychrome hues today accommodating part of the components of the university Jean-Moulin Lyon-III; the castle of the Lumière brothers (now transformed into a living museum of cinema) and theÉdouard-Herriot hospital made up of multiple pavilions, the work of Tony Garnier. Still in the east, but in the outskirts of Lyon, lovers of contemporary architecture will be able to discover the Maison du livre, de l’image et du son, by Mario Botta in Villeurbanne; the media library of Vénissieux by Dominique Perrault; as well as the TGV station at Saint-Exupéry international airport built in 1997 by Calatrava.
Catholic religious heritage
Lyon has an important religious heritage. Most of its most notable buildings are located in the historic site.
The Fourvière hill is dominated by the Notre-Dame de Fourvière basilica, dedicated to the Immaculate Conception. Its construction began in 1872, but the works of sculpture were never completed. The basilica is one of the most visible landmarks for the entire Lyon area and has become the symbol of Lyon’s religious power. It is frequented each year by more than a million visitors. South of the hill is the church of Saint-Just, it was one of the largest churches in Lyon, destroyed by Protestants in 1562, it will be rebuilt in the XVI century: its beautiful façade was made in XVIII century byFerdinand-Sigismond Delamonce. Very close we find one of the oldest churches in Lyon, the Saint-Irénée church of which we can see the remains of the early Christian apse, a restored crypt and the Calvary of Lyon, and, next to it, the diocesan house, designed in 1749 by François Soufflot le Romain, with wooded park.
In Old Lyon, the district of Saint-Jean is dominated by the primatiale Saint-Jean (or Saint-Jean cathedral). The primatial name is due to the Archbishop of Lyon, Primate of the Gauls. At the north end of Old Lyon, the St. Paul area is home to the church of the XII century XIII century XV century with a happy mix of Romanesque and Gothic. In the south the district of Saint-Georges is dominated by the Church of the XIX century by architect Pierre Bossan, near the Place Benoît-Frizzy.
The peninsula in the southern part is home to the Basilica of Saint-Martin d’Ainay, testimony of Romanesque art of the XI century. Going up north found on the Place des Cordeliers, the church of St. Bonaventure: Church of the Cordeliers of the XIV century to the XX century. Nearby, on the way to the Saône, the church Saint-Nizier, Flamboyant Gothic and Renaissance style, was built in the XIV century XVII century. Nearby is the 17th Trinity Chapel century of the Lycée Ampère, Lyon’s jewel of baroque art.
Two other buildings are remarkable: the church of Saint-Denis-de-la-Croix-Rousse, the church of Saint-Bruno des Chartreux in Croix-Rousse, a masterpiece of Ferdinand-Sigismond Delamonce. This baroque jewel houses a canopy made by Servandoni. Finally, to the north of the city is the Romanesque chapel of Île Barbe, one of the oldest buildings in the region.
In the district of Gerland are the Notre-Dame-des-Anges church and the Saint-Antoine church.
Cultural and artistic heritage
Lyon has a cultural and artistic heritage of great value. Indeed, two arts were born in Lyon: the cinema, invented by the Lumière brothers, and the theater of Guignol, whose characters of Guignol and his friend Gnafron were invented by Laurent Mourguet. Lyon is also a center of rock music, because several groups from Lyon have been influential in France (Rock in Lyon). The city has modern and renowned cultural infrastructures, such as the Maison de la danse de Lyon, the Auditorium in the Part-Dieu district, which houses the Orchester National de Lyon, the Théâtre des Célestinsand the Opéra national de Lyon, where the greatest opera singers have performed. In addition, Lyon, birthplace of the composer Jean-Marie Leclair (1697-1764), is the only French city with Paris to have two permanent orchestras: a symphonic and another lyric, constituting a rare cultural privilege.
Today artistic creativity is still present with the National Conservatory of Music and Dance of Lyon, with teaching at the National School of Fine Artsat the Subsistances (former military warehouses converted into an artistic creation laboratory devoted to new languages of live performance), but also through numerous exhibitions in the various museums of the city or the organization of major cultural events. The Villa Gillet is an international observatory of contemporary languages. It is also in Lyon that one can see an early work by the artist Guillaume Bottazzi, a painting of 12 meters by 8 meters, produced in 2006.
In 2012, the collective of graffiti artists Birdy Kids was chosen to represent the city of Lyon as cultural ambassador.
Thus having an important cultural heritage, the city seeks in 2008 the title of “European Capital of Culture” for the year 2013. However, the city of Marseille is preferred to it in a vote held on September 16 in Paris.
Culture in Lyon
Museums and Galleries
Museums, living spaces of discovery and sharing of culture, listening to various audiences. From Gallo-Roman civilization to the adventure of silk and textiles, from Guignol to puppets from around the world, from printing and the invention of cinema to the history of the Resistance, from fine arts to decorative arts… Immerse yourself in the history and heritage of Lyon. The main museums and their temporary exhibitions are included in the Lyon City Card. And the museums (but not only them!) Also offer numerous debates, conferences and artistic and cultural events. If you like artistic strolls, explore the galleries in search of arty love at first sight or simply for the pleasure of discovery.
True conservatories of human genius through the ages, they abound with knowledge, creativity, beautiful objects, testimonies and discoveries. Today’s museums are places of life that are constantly reinventing themselves, opening their doors widely to better share their collections and their knowledge with everyone. Temporary exhibitions, video, interactive games, guided tours, creative workshops, conferences, shows, evening events… All means are good to disseminate the pleasure of knowledge.
The city has more than fifteen museums which reflect the peculiarities and historical wealth of the city. Among the collections of the Musée des beaux-arts de Lyon, that of paintings is the most important French collection after that of the Louvre in Paris, which means that the museum is sometimes nicknamed the “little Louvre”. Lyon also has a contemporary art museum and a large number of art galleries, concentrated in the district located south of Place Bellecour.
The history of the city can be found in the Gallo-Roman museum of Fourvière which overlooks the site of the ancient theaters as well as in the Gadagne museums which bring together the Lyon history museum and the museum of puppetry arts. The history of Lyon medicine can be explored at the Testut-Latarjet museum as well as at the museum of the history of medicine and pharmacy in Lyon and, until its closure in 2010, at the Hôtel-Dieu des Hospices Civils de Lyon, recalling that the first hospital was founded by Childebert I. History is still alive at the Printing and Banking Museumof which the city was one of the European capitals during the Renaissance as well as to the Museum of Fabrics and Decorative Arts, which has the largest textile collection in the provinces and where you can find the masterpieces of silk fabrics from Lyon. The African Museum of Lyon, the oldest museum devoted to Africa in France, has a rich collection of art from the West of the continent.
The Confluence Museum, opened in 2014, presents the collections of the Natural History Museum and the Guimet Museum, which closed in 2007. The history of the Technical XX century is offered to the Institut Lumière, which traces the beginnings of the cinema created in Lyon, and at the Henri-Malartre automobile museum located in Rochetaillée-sur-Saône, which belongs to the city of Lyon. Visionary town planning can be found at the Tony-Garnier Urban Museum, while the Center for the History of Resistance and Deportation (CHRD) recalls that the city was the capital of the resistance during theSecond World War.
Among the curiosities of Lyon, we must mention the international museum of miniature in Old Lyon, the aquarium of Lyon, the museum of the firefighters of Lyon, as well as La Friche, located in the former warehouses of the RVI factory., converted into a place of free space for artists.
Arts and crafts Workshops
Artisans and art galleries popping up all over the city. The Auguste Comte district to find the rare pearl and continue your way on the Peninsula. Lovers of silk and crafts, stroll around Croix-Rousse or in Vieux-Lyon. And if you are looking for contemporary creations, it is at the bottom of the slopes of the Croix-Rousse that you will find what you are looking for.
If silk and textiles are recognized Lyonnais specialties, with several craftsmen who bring this historical heritage to life, many other crafts exist in Lyon, in particular jewelers. Lyon has developed several know-how since the Renaissance and the arrival in Lyon of the Florentines. The Lyonnais have maintained this culture because they appreciate quality and fine objects. Beyond that, the presence of numerous craftsmen from various trades is a real added value for Lyon. All actively participate in the economic influence and cultural wealth of the city through their artistic creations and are also transmitters of knowledge.
Their workshops are numerous in Croix-Rousse and on the slopes, but not only, and craftsmen offer their unique pieces made in the rules of the art. There are 281 crafts, divided into various fields: architecture and gardens, furniture and decoration, lighting, goldsmith, metal, ceramics, glass and crystal, tabletterie, l ‘watchmaking, jewelry, jewelry, fashion and accessories, textiles, leather, entertainment, paper, graphics and printing, games, toys and mechanical works, the making of musical instruments, Restoration.These professions have 60,000 jobs and generate more than 8 billion in turnover.
Cinema
The city has a large number of cinemas which recall that the seventh art was invented in Lyon by the Lumière brothers in the rue du Premier Film in 1895. The Lumière Institute, the former home of these first engineers who played a essential role in the history of cinema and photography is today both a museum and a cinema specializing in retrospectives and festivals. In order to promote this heritage, Greater Lyon launched the Lumière Festival in 2009 as well as the associated Prix Lumière.
La Presqu’île has a large number of cinemas: a cinema from the company Pathé (Pathé-Bellecour, the Pathé-Cordeliers having closed in 2016), two Lumière cinemas (Lumière Bellecour and Lumière Terreaux, bought in 2014 by the Institut Lumière the former CNP group, whose third theater, the CNP Odéon, closed definitively in 2009 and now houses a café theater opened on December 31, 2012), and an independent cinema consisting of two rooms: the Cinema Opera, located as its name suggests near the Lyon Opera, and the Cinema, located a little further north. The Confluence district shopping center houses a UGC Ciné Cité cinema.
The left bank of the Rhone (3, 6 and 7 arrondissements) welcome the Ant Light (acquired by the Institut Lumière in 2014), the Bellecombe cinema, the Comœdia a UGC to the Part-Dieu (with separate entries level 1 and level 3, which will be extended for 2020), the UGC Astoria and a UGC Ciné Cité at the Cité internationale. Croix-Rousse has an associative cinema: the Saint-Denis Cinema and the 9 roundingCiné Duchère and a Pathé cinema in Vaise.
The city of Lyon thus had more than 21,500 cinema seats in 2009.
Finally, the city serves as the subject or setting for many films, the most notable of which are L’Armée des ombres (1969), L’Horloger de Saint-Paul (1974), Lucie Aubrac (1994) and more recently La Fille coupée. in two (2007).
Events and festivals
Lyon, city of culture is renowned for its major events. The city’s cultural players, large or small, have many opportunities to collaborate in each arrondissement. Culture emerges from its palaces to the delight of Lyonnais who actively participate in the life of their city. If the Festival of Lights is the emblematic event of the city, other events contribute to the cultural influence of Lyon: the Biennale de la Danse and its famous parade, the Nuits Sonores, the Nuits de Fourvière or the Lumière Festival, dedicated to the history of cinema…
The Festival of Lights
Fête des Lumières is by far the most important event of the year. It lasts four days around the 8th of December. It was initially a traditional religious celebration: on December 8, 1852, the people of Lyon spontaneously illuminated their windows with candles to celebrate the inauguration of the golden statue of the Virgin Mary (the Virgin had been the saint patron of Lyon since she allegedly saved the city from the plague in 1643). The same ritual was then repeated every year.
In the last decade or so, the celebration turned into an international event, with light shows by professional artists from all over the world. Those range from tiny installations in remote neighbourhoods to massive sound-and-light shows, the largest one traditionally taking place on Place des Terreaux. Most major monuments such as the City Hall, Hôtel-Dieu or the Fourvière basilica are illuminated in a spectacular way. The Lyon II/Lyon III University buildings along the Rhône are also among the most beautiful illuminations. The traditional celebration lives on, though: during the weeks preceding December 8, the traditional candles and glasses are sold by shops all over town. This festival attracts around 4 million visitors every year; it now compares, in terms of attendance, to the Oktoberfest in Munich for example. Accommodation for this period should be booked months in advance. You will also need good shoes (to avoid the crowd in the metro) and very warm clothes (it can be very cold at this time of year).
Today, the Festival of Lights is an integral part of Lyon’s tradition and is one of the markers of its identity. If Lyon was for centuries a city of commerce, a city of fairs, a city of silk, Lyon was also, by tradition, a festive city, bearer of popular events, which marked its life and that of its inhabitants.
In the period following the revolts of 1831, 1834 and 1848, the city experienced a period of unrest, marked by social conflicts, by recurring floods, but also by the transformation of the city with the attachment of the municipalities bordering Vaise, de la Guillotière and Croix-Rousse. During this period, Lyon lost its autonomy, power being then concentrated in the hands of the Prefect. It was in these difficult times that, on September 8, 1852, they decided to install a golden statue of Mary on the bell tower of Fourvière, but the floods forced this day to be canceled. The event is postponed to December 8, Marian day celebrating the Immaculate Conception. A whole series of religious events is planned, and in the evening, the Lyonnais illuminate their windows with candles placed in colored glasses. Bad weather spoils the official ceremonies but, the elements having calmed down, the Lyonnais decide, more and more, to light up their home.
The Festival of Lights was born, a sign of popular communion in which the people of Lyon find themselves in a spirit of solidarity. This is the spirit of the Festival, the spirit of the candles placed in the windows. Year after year, the religious and official component of the Feast of December 8 is therefore coupled with a festive and popular component, to become today, with the Feast of Lights, this strong moment in the minds of Lyonnais, where all come together to express their joy at being together and admiring their city “.
Sound Nights
Created in 2003, Nuits Sonores has become the first French festival of independent and electronic culture. This event now occupies an important place in the European landscape. In more than ten editions, Nuits Sonores continues to promote music, scenography and visual creations.
Festival Lumière du cinema
The Lumière Prize is awarded to an artist for all of his work. They received the light prize: Clint Eastwood, Milos Forman, Gérard Depardieu, Ken Loach, Quentin Tarentino and Pedro Almodovar, Martin Scorsese.
Nights of Fourvière
The Nuits de Fourvière are devoted to the performing arts and, since 1946, have endeavored to make the disciplines coexist. Every summer, in June and July, the festival presents nearly 60 performances for more than 130,000 spectators.
Everyone outside
Everyone Outside is celebrating summer by bringing together around 250 artistic and participatory outdoor events, completely free and open to all. Every year, Tout l’monde outside offers, in the 9 arrondissements of Lyon, a multitude of artistic and participatory events in the public space. With a program more widely open to leisure, entertainment, shows and activities invite Lyonnais to meet and discuss in a spirit of “living together” and “doing together”, beautiful moments of relaxation and conviviality
The International Assises of the Roman
Every year during the last week of May, they bring together writers, journalists, artists, researchers, scientists and thinkers from all over the world at Les Subsistances. By offering to cross views, the debates, round tables and interviews in which they take part offer an original light on literary questions (crime in literature, the role of memory, the links between reality and fiction…) but also more largely on social issues (globalization, the writing of the disaster…). Diversity of voices, diversity of languages: a week of discussions and reading in Lyon and the Rhône-Alpes region. Writers, actors, philosophers, astronauts, physicists, great reporters, screenwriters for debates and round tables are present.
Polar dock
For three days, the city turns into the world capital of thrillers. It is therefore an opportunity for lovers of the genre to satisfy their passion, to meet confirmed authors and rising stars, and for neophytes, to discover a culture at the crossroads of the imaginary and the real. All aspects of the genre will be scrutinized: from the noir novel to the historical novel, through the thriller and the mystery novel, but also all the modes of expression of black culture with literature, cinema., theater, comics, youth…
Dance biennial
How can we ensure that dance can be present, easy to rub shoulders with, including where we did not expect it a priori, sometimes even outside the theaters where it usually occurs? The Biennale tries at every opportunity to build this specific time of meeting and to show singular gestures. Conceived without any particular theme and in complete freedom, the program favors desire, gluttony and favorites. It is a declaration of love for dance. Highlight: the Des Terreaux parade in Bellecour, more than 4,500 amateur participants from the Lyon region will give you their interpretation of the annual theme during the largest choreographed parade in Europe… The parade is open to everyone, if you wish to participate (dance, costume, singing, music, visual arts, stilts, etc.) ask the groups for information.
Contemporary Art Biennale
After having co-curated the first three Biennials of 1991/95, Thierry Raspail has since suggested, to the curators he invites, to think about a word that synthesizes for him the artistic news of the moment. This word is valid for three editions and forms the basis of a trilogy lasting six years. Therefore, it’s a long time that we go through… it’s already almost a story…
Music Day in Lyon
Every year on June 21, beef in the metro, symphonic lunch, office outing with a bang before a concert evening: the city is festive and music lovers satisfied. Passionate amateurs or young talents, there are nearly 280 artists in more than 80 public places: this day is an opportunity to meet their audience, in a light and family atmosphere in Lyon.
Museum night
This event, organized by the Ministry of Culture and Communication is further proof that the night is not the domain of clubs and concerts, but that the graphic arts also have their night owl public. Many museums in Lyon open their doors to you free of charge part of the night. Complementary activities are also offered.
Heritage Days
Since 1984, the European Heritage Days have been the unmissable back-to-school cultural event. These two days are an opportunity to take another look at Lyon’s heritage through organized urban walks. Unusual routes, themed tours and various excursions unveil the treasures of the city and meet you in places usually closed to the public. Recognized by UNESCO, Lyon has a rich cultural and historical heritage that the event offers you the opportunity to discover in a festive and friendly atmosphere.
Natural heritage
Despite a strong urban concentration, the city of Lyon is embellished with many green spaces and natural amenities. It has been a “Ville fleurie” with three flowers (quality of life label) since 2007.
In 2018, the city of Lyon received the highest distinction, a fourth flower by the Villes et villages fleuris competition rewarding its exceptional living environment and the management of its green spaces, it thus becomes the only French metropolis to obtain this label.
With 12,000 hectares of natural spaces, Lyon has fourteen large parks and three hundred urban gardens appreciated by Lyonnais, and surroundings rich in contrasts, with the mountains of Lyonnais to the southwest, the Monts d’Or to the north-west, the Saône valley to the north and the Dombes plateau to the north-east.
Urban parks and gardens
The Tête d’Or park, classified as a remarkable garden, is the largest urban park in France. It has vast expanses of shaded lawns, a lake and an island, and several botanical gardens, including the Alpine Garden and the Flower Garden. Served by several transmission lines in common, this park is located in the city of Lyon, in the district of Brotteaux (6 arr.) Of which it is the north. The park is surrounded by the Rhône and the Cité Internationale to the north and west, and by the town of Villeurbanne to the east. Within it, we find the zoological garden of Lyon, the second oldest zoo in France, created in 1858. Since 2006, its objective has been to become a place for the conservation of endangered species and awareness of the preservation of biodiversity. He thus concentrates his efforts on breeding species such as red varis, bicoloured tamarins, garrulaxes of the Courteous Father or giraffes of West Africa.
Other green spaces are available in different parts of the city, such as the Rosaire garden and the Hauteurs park on the slopes of the Fourvière hill, the Jardin des Plantes and the Rosa Mir garden on the slopes of the Fourvière hill. Croix-Rousse, the Sergeant Blandan park opened in increments between September 2013, September 2014 and 2019, which passes the boundary between the 7 and 3 districts of Lyon and Henry Chabert park in the south of the city. Finally in the near periphery, Lyon has the largest peri-urban park in France, the large park of Miribel-Jonage with its 2,200 hectares of unspoiled nature, its lake of 350 hectares. And finally the large park of Parilly, to the south-east of Lyon, constitutes one of the green lungs of the agglomeration and hosts many protected animal species. It has many sports facilities and a racetrack.
Lyon hinterland
The city of Lyon is surrounded by different regions or natural regions less than thirty kilometers from the city center. To the north-west of the city, the Azergues valley crosses a wooded and hilly part of the Rhône department, and extends to the Beaujolais vineyards. To the south-west, the region of the Lyonnais mountains designates the first foothills of the Massif Central, a region which is also wine-growing with the Coteaux-du-Lyonnais, and continues as far as Forez and the Pilat natural park. Finally, the Rhône valley extends to the south of the city of Lyon, and the Côtes-du-rhône vineyardsstarts between Lyon and Vienne.
To the east of Lyon, the plain extends from the Côtière to the Dauphiné towards the north-east, and towards the towns of Crémieu, Pont-de-Chéruy and Bourgoin-Jallieu to the south-east. The lônes the Rhone are riverine protected areas to preserve flora and fauna, including many beavers, which are observable even in the city center of Lyon. La Dombes, a plateau with a thousand ponds and home to many animal species, begins at the gates of Lyon and also extends to the north-north-east of the Lyon region. Finally, the Saône valley extends north of Lyon to the town of Villefranche-sur-Saône, and is bordered to the west by the peaks of the Monts d’Or.
Activities, leisure and well-being
A whole range of leisure activities, activities, relaxation and other small pleasures that one likes to enjoy on vacation: walks in parks and gardens, spas, treatments and massages, tastings or cooking classes, sports activities. and fun… In short: you will find here something to give a unique flavor to your stay, something to spice up your memories of new experiences, something to leave in great shape and your head full of memories!
Parks, gardens and places to walk
Go for a walk in the Parc de la Tête d’Or, Les Hauteurs or La Cerisaie, places very popular with Lyonnais; stroll on the banks of the Rhône to discover Lyon differently; stop at a terrace, for a pleasant moment of relaxation.
Well-being
Spa, hammam, jacuzzi, massage… Just read these words, you already dream of it! No worries, Lyon is full of beautiful addresses that have only one goal in mind: to relax. Treat yourself to a moment of absolute relaxation… after a shopping spree, a day of conferences or a long stroll through the city. Opt for relaxation with a spa, beauty treatment or long massage to get back in shape, or upgrade to more invigorating options with aqua gym or jet bath. The incomparable charm of an oriental hammam or the Zen sobriety of a refined design universe: choose your style and let yourself go.
Swimming and swimming pools
In Lyon, it can be very hot, so keep these addresses under your elbow if you dream of drawing your best jersey! Whether in winter – the Rhône swimming pool and its heated outdoor pools attract many fans.
Indoor leisure
From lasergame fights to giant wind tunnel flying, including karting, paintball or even life-size play sessions for children! And if the weather is really not to party, we discover Lyon indoors and in miniature at Mini World Lyon, or the seabed at the Aquarium.
Outdoor Leisure
The advantage of Lyon is that it is very easy to escape to play sports, go for a walk or relax in the countryside, a few minutes from the city center. And you can also practice outdoor activities in the heart of the Metropolis, in the many parks or on the banks. Like many Lyonnais, you like sport and outdoor recreation, choose between a nature and adventure park to escape in the canopy, a paragliding flight, a walk in the middle of wolves or walks or rides. bike. Alone, as a couple, with friends or family, the range of activities for everyone is extensive.
Cooking classes and tastings
In Lyon, capital of gastronomy, any pretext is good to get your hands dirty! With these cooking and tasting lessons, renew your way of cooking, learn the art of tasting, amaze family and friends and above all, indulge yourself at the same time. Learn tricks, cooking secrets and chef’s tips to choose your ingredients, never miss a thing, make original and delicious recipes, and prepare beautiful plates. Sweet, salty, bittersweet, seasonal cuisine, culinary terms will hold no secrets for you! Do you prefer to taste to prepare? That’s good, it’s trendy! Introduction to oenology, tasting of chocolate, water, whiskeys…
Cruises and city tours
A promenade cruise, a lunch or dinner on the water, a ride in the little train or in the double-decker bus? To see the city from a different perspective, it’s up to you to choose your way of living the city, for even more pleasure.